“I always hated ‘Dueling Banjos’ because I had the original version, ‘Feudin’ Banjos,’ with Arthur Smith and Don Reno,” Weissberg told Banjo Newsletter in 2006. “I hated it because it wasn’t bluegrass at all. It had a rhythm section, with drums. Who needs that?”
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He did, because he then formed a group called Deliverance.
Yep. Plus what is he talking about “drums”? I don’t remember any drums on that track, just banjo and guitar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsC4kf6x_Q0
Exactly! His version of the truth morphed a bit as time went on.
Being a professional musician and banjo player, I remember this well.
He recorded the song for Warner Bros. in their studio and was paid for his studio time. Warner re-released it as a single, the small 45rpms that existed at that time, and made a mint, which they didn’t share with the musicians. Weissberg was bitter, of course, and sued.
Then, out of the hills comes Arthur Smith, who actually wrote the song. Warner Bros. put out a statement saying it was a tune that their musicians ‘came up with’ in studio and therefore no royalties were awarded.
Arthur Smith and Don Reno went in front of the judge with their instruments and played their song, Fuedin’ Banjos, in court, then everyone listened to the Deliverance track. No doubt about it being the same. Weissberg was then forced to testify and had to admit on oath that the songs were the same. The judge believed Smith and Reno. I think Smith got a settlement of $200k.
Basically after that, Weissberg’s name was Mudd in the recording industry and with the bluegrass musician world.
Can’t take away his impact on the recording scene in New York, for sure. He was a fine musician. And perhaps, a victim of circumstances.